When Deputy CEO of CapitaLand (Vietnam) Holdings, Yip Hoong Mun, spoke at CapitaLand’s 10th anniversary sharing session to fellow colleagues in 2010, he did not quite anticipate the impact his five-minute reflection would have on the organisation and its 11,000 employees.

“I thought it would be good to reflect on the past 10 years and think about how we can build on our past achievements to make the company last,” recalled Mr Yip.

Like the engineer he is at heart, Mr Yip, whose first degree is in Civil Engineering with first class honours from the National University of Singapore, thought it best to do a little research to prepare for his presentation.

Mr Yip (third from left) at the CapitaLand 10^th Anniversary in Vietnam where he shared about the need for engaging people in order to have lasting success

His clear and analytical presentation of a vision for a lasting future for CapitaLand hinged on his conviction that in order for improvements to take place, people have to be engaged and encouraged to speak up; their hearts had to be touched.

“We spend more time at work interacting with our colleagues than we do at home. Yet, at home, when we see that something is not right, we speak up to make sure things work. Why can’t we do the same at work? If we think something can be improved or made more conducive, why don’t we voice it?” he argued.

That single idea captured the very essence of what CapitaLand has been doing over the years as a people-focused organisation. And it became the key message for CapitaLand's first Because iCare (BiC) campaign initiative among staff - “Speak Up, Listen, Respond.” The main purpose of the initiative was to encourage employees to show they care for people and the company by speaking up for change, and, eventually, make it a corporate culture.

Mr Yip makes it his practice to get to know his staff better to foster a ‘dare to speak up’ spirit within the office

With such passion for Because iCare, it came as no surprise when Mr Yip became one of the winners of the inaugural Because iCare Awards held last year. One of the tenets of Because iCare is the conviction to speak up and the basis of that comes from creating a safe environment, something that Mr Yip has been doing personally for years. In whichever posting he is in, he makes it his practice to get to know his staff so as to create an environment where people feel comfortable enough to speak up.

“I interact with them and engage them socially to build up trust and confidence. So they are comfortable enough to talk to me about what is going on in their lives, what they are stressed about. They even share with me when they are trying for a baby, for example,” said Mr Yip with a smile.

This willingness to speak up has led to some changes for the better even before the official launch of Because iCare. In Vietnam, certain approval and documentation processes have been simplified due to staff feedback.

“Some approvals and documentations used to go through many different layers and different departments and the processes could take a long time. The staff asked if things can be simplified. So, we have simplified the processes and also empowered the staff to approve things within certain limits and this expedites the processes. Here, we have optimised the system without compromising the integrity of the approval structure and staff appreciate this because this is something they have to deal with every day,” said Mr Yip.

Mr Yip, who flew to Bangkok for the wedding of his Thai staff working in Vietnam, believes in getting to know his staff beyond work

Now that the Because iCare programme is in full swing, Mr Yip is taking the lead in Vietnam to empower his staff to speak in the context of work as well.

“At my fortnightly Department Head meetings, I have started the practice where we get young executives to do presentations pertaining to their area of work to the management. This reduces their fear of speaking up and also enables us to identify good local staff for leadership positions,” said Mr Yip.

On the rollout of Because iCare initiatives in different markets, Mr Yip shared, “People from China and Vietnam tend to be more vocal probably because they are younger and hungrier for career advancement. They are eager to be heard and recognised for their work. So they want to learn more, and so they ask more and harder questions.”

But speaking up alone cannot exact change for the better. Mr Yip feels that it is crucial that supervisors must also be willing to listen and respond.

Mr Yip noted, “Sometimes, a good idea is raised and then it stops there. In this area, I personally evaluate each idea to make sure that the worthwhile ones are implemented.”

Mr Yip encourages supervisors to listen as well and to respond accordingly

“We need to engage the person and give them our feedback [as a supervisor] about their idea and let them know why the idea is not implemented. It is not just about speaking up but a two-way dialogue,” said Mr Yip.

Supervisors also need not feel threatened by their staff who are willing to speak up, Mr Yip advised. Instead, supervisors can hone their managerial skills.

“I am very open with my mid-level managers and try to keep them informed so there are no surprises. So, if their subordinate comes to me, I will always copy the supervisor on the discussion and correspondence. This removes the element of distrust,” said Mr Yip.

Looking ahead, Mr Yip believes that the success of the Because iCare programme depends on getting everyone to own the idea.

“It is easy to start a campaign but it is harder to sustain it. The challenge is not to lose steam and to make it sustainable. At the moment, a lot of activities are driven at the corporate level. The challenge is for the SBUs and different countries to promote the initiatives under this umbrella and maintain the momentum,” said Mr Yip.

In a year’s time, this advocate of Because iCare envisages an organisation that is fully aware and fully participatory of this corporate culture, one that do so with all their hearts.

Listening to staff, being courageous to act on convictions, mentoring new recruits, looking out for the interests of the company and its reputation - all these are examples of CapitaLand’s employees not only doing their job, but doing it with heart.

Such behaviours are central to the Because iCare (BiC) programme launched by CapitaLand last May to encourage its employees to speak up constructively, listen actively and respond accordingly in an environment of acceptance. Through this initiative, CapitaLand seeks to create an engaging workplace where inspired employees care enough to share ideas freely. Following last issue’s feature on the inaugural BiC Awards presented in November (read Speak Up, Listen and Respond Because iCare), INSIDE brings you the other award winners who embody the BiC spirit.

Leaders Who Care to Guide

In Beijing, MarCom Manager from CapitaMalls Asia (China), Sun Yan, is a superior who shows her care for others through action. In 2009, even though she was busy preparing for a Market Research certification test, she made time to mentor a new colleague who had been assigned to do a customer shopping habits survey. Her detailed explanation and guidance not only ensured the successful completion of the project, it also became an invaluable learning experience for the young colleague.

On what inspires her mentoring style, Sun commented, “In my six years with CapitaLand, I have met many bosses who have set great examples by imparting their knowledge and skills to me, which in turn created a fair and enjoyable work environment. So I feel that whenever it is within my power, I should do the same.”

Lew Yen Ping (in yellow apron) at a Because iCare tea reception interacting with the staff

Lew Yen Ping, Area Manager for Hanoi, Ascott International Management (Vietnam), makes it a point to personally welcome new employees. When Nguyen Thi Thu Nga first joined the company, Lew was quick to drop a welcome e-mail, the first person in the company to do that apart from the Human Resource Director. In the days that followed, Lew was never without a warm greeting when she met the newcomer.

“I always believe employees are like our customers. We need to gather feedback from them to improve ourselves and the organisation, especially since they are local and know the ground better,” said Lew. “The open-door concept is how I work. We have a sign on every department head’s door that says, ‘Please come in. I want to hear your voice’.”

Lew’s encouraging spirit and willingness to mentor younger employees has certainly inspired those who work with her. Lew has taught them not to look down on their jobs and learnt that everyone has an important role to play in the company. Hence, they are heartened to continue learning and be caring to other people.

Jane Leo (second from the left) shows she cares by mentoring new colleagues

At CapitaLand Limited in Singapore, those who work with Jane Leo, Manager for Organizational Development & ICE Programme, Human Resource, CapitaLand Limited can attest to the fact that she is a mentor at heart. She takes new colleagues under her wing and guides them daily in their work and career. Her patience and willingness to listen to her subordinates, and her genuine concern for their well-being are evident of the BiC spirit.

“Growing up in a traditional Chinese family, I believe and embrace the Chinese saying,
“施比受更有福”. It is a blessing to give, to care for others and to help colleagues grow on their jobs. My working philosophy is to provide mentorship and guidance to our team and to emphasise on close working relationships and co-operation among stakeholders,” said Leo.

Xu Qian is one who is not afraid to engage stakeholders for the sake of the company while maintaining a genuine connection with all

A Leader Who Speaks Up for the Company

Even in the way they deal with external parties, the award winners exhibit the BiC spirit of speaking up, listening and responding. Xu Qian, General Manager of CapitaMall ShaWan, CapitaMalls Asia (China) in Sichuan, has been known to build relationships with stakeholders, investors, authorities and the media on behalf of the company.

To garner support for her projects, Xu has been actively engaging local authorities such as the Chengdu Industrial and Commercial Bureau, the Jinniu District Government and the Fuqin Sub-District Office. Of her ability to communicate successfully with just about anyone, Xu explained, “To build a relationship with someone, we need to be sincere. It is the same when dealing with the government. Another key is to do things with integrity. Even if we have problems along the way, if I deal with it positively, I can defuse arguments.”

Her genuine connection with people and steadfast loyalty to CapitaLand saw her reject a higher-paying job offer and doubled mall traffic and sales.

An Example of Service Excellence

When Security Supervisor, Waswo from Ascott Jakarta, Indonesia, assisted in security issues following the 2009 Earthquake, he found himself caught between the work contractors had to do and the level of service and convenience guests had come to expect of the serviced residence. He would often speak up to the management to ensure the project would be completed on schedule and that guests would be comfortable. But he was also always thinking ahead to find solutions.

To keep guests in the loop and pre-empt complaints, he sought permission to inform guests ahead if the renovation would be particularly loud. When the service lift broke down delaying the contractors’ work, he was quick to allocate a guest lift for the contractors’ use and sensitive enough to manage guests who had been inconvenienced. Because of his warmth and sincerity in explaining the situation and apologising, most guests took the construction work in their stride.

“In my experience, good people skills start with us. We should have a healthy self-image and remain positive in order to communicate and share ideas and experiences. My love for my job and appreciation of our guests constantly motivates me to strive better,” said Waswo.

With employees already embracing the Because iCare spirit in their own unique ways regardless of designations and geographies, CapitaLand is making good progress in creating an engaging workplace that inspires and builds people.